Could it be…. Satanic Ritual Abuse?

The following is a list of signs and symptoms of Satanic ritual abuse claimed by various members of the conspiracy therapist community. Many of these have appeared in articles by licensed mental health care professionals published in ostensibly academic journals. They are presented here in the spirit of mockery, as well as warning.

Most of these are, no doubt, real symptoms of actual patients. The abuse histories of these patients likely vary considerably, but the one thing the patients certainly have in common is having fallen into the care of credulous and opportunistic therapists steeped in the discredited narratives of the Satanic Panic.

Publishing these as symptoms of Satanic ritual abuse (SRA) lends an air of credibility to such narratives that should, by now, be considered quaint. Worse, given that these are often presented as a part of diagnostic and treatment guidelines, it risks spreading this fantasy to the larger mental health care community. Most of the symptoms are so pedestrian as to be experienced by almost everyone. A conspiracy-prone therapist with a troubled client and this list is an extremely dangerous combination - especially for the client. Moreover, sometimes these symptoms are common to medical disorders that could go unrecognized and untreated while the therapist hunts for evidence of trauma inflicted by non-existent Satanic cults.

Preoccupation with the phases of the moon.1 [How's that for a horoscope?]

Telephone reactions; e.g., strong fear or startle response to the phone ringing, many hang-up calls coming to the home, a compulsion to make calls (often toll-free), finding the phone in one’s hands in the early morning hours without any memory for having made a phone call.4

Psychic driving feeling (coming from when the person was subjected to a continuously repeated audio message on an endless looped tape to alter their behavior, a method developed by Ewen Cameron, MD).5

Unexplained behavioral compulsions, such as a strongly-felt need to eat or drink a particular thing, go to a particular place, perform a particular act, etc.5, 6

Abreacting to, dreaming of, or having flashbacks of, people wearing robes in rituals.5

A pattern of suddenly leaving home for the evening or weekend, or longer, to a motel or park, etc. The individual may create a conflict with loved ones that is understood later as having been driven by the need to leave. This indicator is of greater weight if these sudden trips occur yearly at the same times, or if the person has no continuous memory for how he/she spent the time.4, 5

Potential symptoms aren't just behavioral or emotional. There are plenty of physical signs to watch out for - just not what you might expect...

Sitting in a buddha-like position while discussing menstruation (“which enables the menses to flow out of their genitals without interruption, into a waiting container to be used in the ceremonies”).1 [?????????]

Knowing the difference in taste between human and animal blood.1 [And how might this be determined?]

Playing with blood from cuts, including by using it to make upside down crosses on walls.1

Knowing the feeling of coagulated blood on one’s hands, feet, face, or body.1

Problems with food and eating also fit a wide range of possible disorders, conscious choices, or just plain pickiness:

Avoiding foods that reminds one of being forced to perform oral sex on females who have their menses.1 [See what we mean about the fixation on blood?]

Animals are another recurring theme when searching for Satan. Being an animal lover1, 3 can be a sign you've been ritually abused; on the other hand, you might also kill animals to "make Satan happy."1 Fear of cats and "creepy crawlies" such as bugs, spiders, ants, snakes, earwigs, rats, etc.1, 3 also marks you as a potential survivor. Many of these animals reappear in lists of troubled subjects in artwork, such as:

Because the SRA conspiracy theories focus heavily on allegations of gruesome abuse against children - don't worry, we're not going to repeat what they claim - they are given their own special categories of potential "signs":8

Extreme switches in mood and behavior.

Denying their behavior.

Having memory problems.

Denying being told to do their homework.

Behaving differently at times.

Changing their preferences.

Changes in eyes.

Hearing voices or seeing people.

Talking to themselves.

Having imaginary friends.

Having a stern look.

Having vocal changes. [Is it puberty, or something far more sinister?]

Making contradictory statements.

Being confused.

Of course, no good conspiracy therapist would miss the opportunity to draw inferences from one's family and social relationships, regardless of the client's age, such as: